The Captain of All Pleasures Read Online Free

skirts, she spoke evenly. “Will you stop by your club tonight?”
    He laughed at her ludicrous question, but the sound was foreign and grated. He grew silent and fought to rein in the formidable temper that had helped bring his life to the low point he currently enjoyed.
    Before he answered, he leaned forward in his seat to glare a warning. “I’ll be damned if we do this again. You know bloody well that I am not going to the club or to any of your balls or soirees or anywhere else I might have to see or hear of…of my situation,” he snapped, his face tense with resentment.
    Though she should have been accustomed to it by now, his mother had looked startled at his quickening fury. Nevertheless, she said, “You have a responsibility to your title, Derek. It’s time, past time, you had an heir.”
    â€œGrant’s my heir,” he’d said, naming his brother.
    â€œBut a son—”
    â€œCannot and will not happen.”
    His baleful tone hadn’t even slowed her. No, she took a fortifying breath and proceeded to drag them both through the same old argument. She never missed a chance—they had it every time he was in London.
    For what had to be half the night, he’d listened to her rant and plead, changing tactics with expert precision. Finally, he’d grown so furious he’d shot out of his chair to leave, intending to stay away from his family until he sailed.
    But she wouldn’t let it go.
    â€œSo which route are you sailing this time? China? South America?” she questioned before he could escape to the hall.
    Reluctantly he turned back toward her, making his face cold as dead ash. “London to Sydney.”
    â€œSydney?” she replied with mock excitement. “Oh, yes, Queen Victoria’s Great Circle Race. I read about it in the paper some time back. How patriotic of you.” Her brittle smile belied the sentiment of her words. “And how utterly convenient to find yet another voyage that goes so far afield.”
    Derek couldn’t disagree.
    She studied his face. “There and back should take you how long?”
    â€œHalf a year.” Then, seeing the disappointment in her flinty gray eyes, eyes so like his own, he’d once again turned toward the door.
    As expected, nothing had been resolved. But her parting shot kept running through his mind: “I often wonder if you go to sea because you love it…or because you are a base coward.”
    Christ, he needed a drink.
    What did that woman want him to do? And his brother Grant, who’d regarded him with awkward commiseration as Derek stormed past him and out the door? Everyone involved knew he could find no out, no possible redemption. He understood it, and damn it, he behaved accordingly.
    He wondered vaguely what his mother and brother would say if they learned that something had finally pierced through the weary anger that clung to him. That a young dockside whore with soulful, dark eyes had provoked the earl to a pulse. A whore in boys’ clothing working the Mermaid, of all places—
    Several shrieks coming from ahead interrupted his thoughts. Curious to see what had unhinged the mob tonight, he made his way to a row of canvas-wrapped crates at the side of the walk and stepped up to get a better view. Under a canopy of large, cheaply milled hats and gathered heads, a small lad sped down the quay, running clumsily into several outraged women loitering about. With a quick lift of his chin, Derek made out two rough men beyond, plowing through the crowd after him.
    Derek jumped down lightly and, with a brush of his hands, continued on his way. That boy had riled the wrong people, he mused indifferently. Those men were cutthroats—the kid didn’t have a chance against one of them, let alone two. Even knowing this, he vowed to look the other way, as every other person on the docks would. He was no different from the worst sorts out here on this